(Persia Digest) – In the first half of the current year, Iran imports of essential goods have reached USD 19BN despite unprecedented US sanctions, indicating that the government has sufficient foreign currency to circumvent the sanctions.

CBI Governor, Abdolnaser Hemmati, said: “Despite a drop in foreign currency revenues due to a drop in oil sales under sanctions, the enemy has not been successful in destroying our economy.”

Hemmati reiterated: “Despite a drop in oil revenues in the first half of the Iranian year [since March], over USD 19BN has been allocated to imports of essential goods of which around USD 11BN is revenue from non-oil exports.”

The CBI Governor added: “The CBI has also allocated an estimated USD 8BN to the import of pharmaceuticals.”

Pointing out the difficulties faced by the low-income brackets of society due to sanctions, Hemmati said: “The CBI is seeking stabilization and planning to increase welfare for the people.”

Persia Digest (PD) reports that the US unilaterally pulled out of the JCPOA nuclear deal on 8 May 2018, reimposing the toughest sanctions on Iran to reduce its oil exports to zero. The US has also sanctioned the CBI to prevent all transactions, even pharmaceuticals and essential goods.